(((o))): So, first and foremost, who are Young Aviators and what are your musical backgrounds?
We are Declan McKay (Guitar/Vocals), Kyle Haughey (Bass/Vocals) and John Markey (Drums/Vocals). We have varying musical backgrounds, Declan has been playing guitar since birth as well as bashing a piano on occasion. Kyle is a bass extraordinaire and Markey has a music degree from University of Glasgow. He plays grade eight Tuba; bizarre.
(((o))): How did the band come together?
We grew up in the same small Irish town so it was either play in a band or drink all the time. We chose both.
(((o))): Please describe your sound in poetic form. (Haiku, rhyming couplets, acrostic, etc - take your pick)
Here’s a Haiku:
Harmonies relay insightful lyrics
Garage Grunge Surf Pop
We can’t stop dancing
Is that a Haiku? Our guitarist has an English degree, he would’ve been much better at this but he went to Edinburgh a few days ago and we haven’t seen him since….
(((o))): Has your local music scene had any impact on you as a band?
Glasgow is a bit of a jungle for bands. They’re everywhere. I suppose that in itself creates an immediate drive, you have to stand out from the crowd.
(((o))): You have an album out and your new single is coming out soon. Tell us a little bit about it…
It mainly deals with the theme of being young, broke and desolate in the 21st century. Most of our songs are inspired by a life on minimum wage and fears of the future for yourself and the wider world. They don't come across as being too heavy going though, they're meant to embrace the humour and poetry in being fucked.
(((o))): What do you think is the most difficult challenge facing new bands starting out in the music industry today?
Labels don’t want to invest any money any more. Since the 1950s record labels signed a few bands at a time, invested in them. One or two of the bands would become successful and the money the labels made would offset the losses incurred from the other acts which didn’t have much success and were eventually dropped. It was a cut-throat business but at least labels signed acts. These days you have to do almost everything yourself; tour; record albums; promote; all this is expected before a label will even look at you. It’s a tough game these days. The other side of the coin now however is that you have much more freedom in what you do and the technology to promote yourself is widely available.
(((o))): Every band has different aims. What would have to happen for Young Aviators to make you feel that you’d “made it”, so to speak?
A charity Christmas single, obviously. It’s the same for every band.
(((o))): What level of experience does a young aviator have? At what stage will you become senior?
It’s a question of rank really. We’d like to think we are currently on the verge of becoming simply ‘Aviators’. We’d imagine another decade or two would result in us reaching a title as sought after as ‘Senior Aviator’, but it won’t be easy.
(((o))): We have another column called Echoes of the Past in which we get people to write about albums that have particularly influenced them. What would you guys choose to write about in that column?
As a collective probably Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Self-titled), The Vines – ‘Highly Evolved’ or any Nirvana album.
(((o))): This is ostensibly a column for introducing new bands. Any suggestions as to who we ought to include in the near future?
There is always the option of doing another interview with us. Let’s not rule that out. But there is a band called Poor Things from Glasgow who make us smile, and will also obviously owe us £20 after this shameless plug.
(((o))): What are the band’s plans for the near future?
We’re going on tour with Travis in November. That’s going to be amazing. There are other tours in the pipeline, which cannot be brought to the world’s attention yet, but it’ll all be there on our facebook page so keep checking!
